1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicles and more particularly relates to providing a service access port through the exterior skin of the vehicle to components of the vehicle for inspection and service.
2. Description of the Problem
Cab over engine trucks and busses emphasize compactness in packaging at the cost of greater difficulty in accessing engine related components. Some of these components should be readily accessible for inspection and, if required, the addition of fluids to insure optimal operation and life of the engine. One such component is the coolant system surge tank.
Access to the coolant system surge tank being important, truck manufacturers have equipped vehicles with small hinged access doors on the front of vehicles, typically above the radiator grille. These doors have proven prone to damage in the field and expensive to repair.
Another issue for truck manufacturers and owners, seemingly unrelated to the problem of engine access, concerns the frequent theft of manufacturer badges and logos from vehicles. A popular location for such badges is the vehicle grille, and it is here that manufacturers prefer for positioning the heavier, cast badges which are particularly popular with thieves. Truck manufacturers, with understandable pride, and truck owners, some of whom have considerable brand loyalty, place particular value on these badges and the touch of class they add to the vehicles.
Unfortunately, traditional methods of attaching the badges to the grille leave the grille vulnerable to damage should the badge be removed in the quick and dirty manner favored by thieves. Owners then face an even greater expense for repairing the grille as well as the expense for replacing the badge.
What is desired then is to provide an unobtrusive, but practical access port through the front of a cab over engine vehicle to a radiator surge tank.
It is further desired that vehicle grille badges be attached to the vehicle in a manner which both discourages theft and avoids damage to the grille if the badge is forcibly removed.
According to the invention there is provided a radiator grille mounted to a vehicle. The grille defines a frame forming the perimeter of an access port through the grille. A cover for the access port fits within and is removably supported from the frame. Three releasable points of attachment between the cover and the frame are provided. The points of attachment are arranged so that inward pressure along one edge or at one corner of the cover serves to detach the cover from the points of attachment. A cord is attached between the cover and the vehicle to discourage casual theft.
The three releasable points of attachment comprise first and second releasable points of attachment formed by a pivot rod attached across a back surface of the cover and two spaced clips positioned in the frame and open toward the outside of the vehicle to capture the rod when the cover is inserted into the frame in a preferred orientation. Set in the clips, the rod defines a first axis of rotation for the cover in the frame. The third releasable point of attachment also comprises a rod section attached to the back surface of the cover, but spaced from and perpendicular to the pivot rod. Yet another clip is positioned with respect to the frame, open toward the outside, to capture the rod section when the cover is introduced to the frame in the preferred orientation. The rod and rod section are removable from the clips by generating a force outwardly from the frame.
The arrangement of the clips, and a secondary pivot, provides the means for generating the required extractive force from inward pressure along one edge or corner of the cover. Pressure along an edge of the outside surface of the cover on the side of the cover opposed to the rod section causes the cover to pivot on the rod positioned in the first two clips, extracting the rod section from its associated clip. Arranged in the frame on the opposite side of the rod from the rod section when the cover is fitted into the frame are two pegs which, as the cover is further depressed, are contacted by the cover providing a second pivot spaced from the first pivot. A responsive force is applied to the cover from the pegs to force the rod from the first two clips. The cover is readily repositioned in the frame by introducing it the frame on a level posture with the frame.
The cover further comprises a badge on its outside face.
Additional effects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows.